Grammatically Correct
3/11/09
A weekly grammar tip created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors. |
University of Houston-Victoria
3007 N. Ben Wilson
Victoria, TX 77901 |
|
|
Balancing Parallel Ideas in a Series |
|
In order for writing to
be clear, it is necessary for the coordinate ideas
in a sentence to be grammatically parallel to each
other. The purpose of this grammar tip is to help
you recognize parallelism problems and to know how
to both correct them and, ultimately, to avoid them.
First, let’s look at a definition.
Parallelism – The
use of elements in sentences and paragraphs that
are grammatically equal.
It is especially
important for writing to be parallel when you are
dealing with a series (list). Readers anticipate
that items in a series will be parallel. If one of
the items is not parallel to the others, it can
cause confusion for the reader and can make the
sentence awkward.
Consider the following examples:
Ex. The library
increased the number of computers, books,
journal subscriptions, and also new magazines
were added.
At first glance, this
simple series may seem fine, but notice that the
last item in the list is a complete sentence while
all the other items are plural nouns. See how much
clearer it is in the following form:
Ex. The library
increased the number of computers, books,
journal subscriptions, and magazines.
What makes it
parallel is that all the objects take the form of
plural nouns.
With a slightly more complex series, the same rules
apply.
Ex. There also
was pro-family legislation that
restricted access to abortions, divorces became
harder to obtain, monetary allowances for large
families were given, and began charging
penalties for non-support of children.
As you can see, the
sentence above is unclear. While the reader could
figure it out, it would slow the reader down
unnecessarily. Here is the sentence written in
parallel form.
Ex. There also
was pro-family legislation that
restricted access to abortions, made divorces
harder to obtain, allotted monetary allowances
for large families, and increased penalties for
non-support of children.
This sentence is parallel in
that the verb forms are all the same (past tense),
making the sentence clearer and easier to read.
|
|
The
Author
Amy Hatmaker
earned her BA at the University of Houston-Victoria and
is pursuing graduate studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus
Christi. She has worked as a writing tutor at the Academic
Center for two years.
|
|
References
Hacker, D.
(2003). A Writer’s Reference. (5th Ed.)
Boston: Bedford/St. Martins.
Hodges, J.C., Horner, W.B., Webb, S.S., & Miller, R.K.
(1998) Harbrace College Handbook. (13th Ed.) Fort
Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
Scharton,
Maurice, & Janice Neuleib. Things Your Grammar Never Told
You (2nd Ed.). New York: Pearson Education, 2001.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Test
your knowledge of this subject by correcting the
parallelism problems in the following sentences.
Note – some may need to be re-written in another
form.
-
Thematically there has been continuity – the
discriminatory treatment, segregation of Mexican
Americans in schools, and bilingual education
have been subjects of discourse throughout.
-
As a
work of synthesis, the Destruction of the
European Jews meticulously chronicles the
implementation of the Holocaust, complete with
graphs, charts, and tables showing the movement
of populations, moneys confiscated, and numbers killed, among other
things.
-
His
work provides an analysis of the changes in
population, farming and labor revolutions,
financial institution’s and transportation’s
condition, and educational progress.
Answers
There are
a couple of ways that these sentences could be
reconfigured. These are examples of possible
options. Other options are possible.
-
Thematically there has been
continuity in studies of Mexican American
education – discrimination,
segregation, and bilingual education
have been subjects of discourse throughout.
-
As a work of synthesis, the
Destruction of the European Jews
meticulously chronicles the implementation of the
Holocaust, complete with graphs, charts
and tables showing the movement of
populations, the moneys confiscated, and the numbers
killed, among other things.
-
His work provides an analysis of
the changes in population, the
revolutions in farming and labor, the
conditions of financial institutions and
transportation, and the progress in
education.
|
|
|
|
|
Related Academic Center Resources
The Academic Center has
a handout that goes into further detail on this
topic and how it can be used to show order and
clarity and rhythm:
Parallelism.
Recommended Grammar Website of the Week
In
addition to our own website, this week we recommend
English Works! which can be found at
http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/grammar/main/index.htm.
This site contains a variety of helpful grammar
sections as well as links to other grammar sites.
|
|
|
|
|